Artificial leg



March 25, A.1,952 s. MMACKV 2,590,782

ARTIFICAL LEG Filed Feb. 7, '1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Inventor Stan/e y Mayac/ r H M51 m March 25, 1952 s. MAYACK 2,590,782

ARTIFICIAL LEG I lFiled. Feb. '7, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E@ -F/g.3.

Fig. 2.

Inventor Stan/e y Mayack www Mngel;

Ik "Paten-ftd Mar. 25,v 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL LEG Stanley Mayack, Frankfort, N. Y, i

Application February 7, 1951, Serial No. 209,758 11 claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful im.- provements in an artificial 'leg and has as its primary objeet'the provision ofV an artifical'leg which shall be more effective in its operation. will greatly minimize the discomfort of artificial legs and, in general, will afford a more effective control as well as provide a more comfortable. more satisfactory, and much more. efcient artificial limb.

Previous artificial limbs which are adapted to receive a stump amputated below the knee cap have heretofore had the disadvantage that an undesirable movement of the stump in the socket of the artificial leg was unavoidable or was lpermitted, which frequently resulted in chaflng, blistering', muscle aches, poor air circulation for the stump, poor control of the limb and were very wearing and tiring in their'I use. It is therefore a very important purpose of this invention to provide an artificial limb particularly adapted for supporting stumps which have been amputated belowv the knee cap or socket, at the conventional three to six inches therebelow; and which will permit much longer use of the artificial leg without discomfort or fatigueJ which shall have a much better air circulation and permit better blood circulation for the stump, which will provide a better posture and a better position of the stump, resulting in much better use of the artificial limb and which, in general, will provide an artificial limb having a very improved operation.

The foregoing, together with various other ancillary objects and features of the invention which will be later apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention a preferred embodiment of which has been' illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 Yis a side elevational view showing the artificial limb secured to a leg stump for supporting the. same;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the arrangement of Figure 1, the artificial limb being'disclcsed in a different position;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the articial limb of Figure 1, taken substantially upon they plane indicated by the section line 3-.-3 of Figure 1;"

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of the broken section line 41-4 of Figure i and showing, in particular. the manner in which the stump is .supported in the articial limb; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a portion of the, leg fastening means.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the Various VeWS. itwill; be seen that the numeral I0 designates an artificial les.` the upper portion only 0f which is shown to illustrate the use of this invention,l this artificial leg, being of any desired construction and of .a conventional design. and in itself forms no part of this invention other than the mecha nism for fastening the same to a leg stump. vThe numeral I2 designates the lower portion of the stumpof a leg which has been. amputated at the conventional distance of from three to six inches below the kneey cap or socket of the limb and t0 which it is desired to secure the artificial limb I0 by the fastening means which forms the eist or subject matter of this invention,

Indicated at I4 are metallic straps which l.form the lower portions of the knee jointy of the artiiicial limb fastening .means and which are at? tached, as by rivets or other Suitable means 16 t0 the` artiiicial limb at the two sides thereof.` At their upper ends', the lower parts of the knee joints are pivoted, as at I8, to the lower extremities of metal straps 20 which form the upper halves of the knee joints. The upper members 20 are secured, as by rivets or the like k22, to a corset or belt 24 of any suitable material which is adapted to encircle the leg Shank. this corset being open at its front and provided with a lacing 26 extending through eyelets 28 by means of which the corset may be rmly fixed to the leg shank.

At its rear side, the corset 24v is provided with straps 30 and 32 which cooperate withvertically notched portions 34 of the corset whereby the same may be adiustably Astrapped together to more firmly secure the corsetto the Shanke A pair of cross bars 36 and 38, see Figurefi. are rigidly attached to the upper ends of the lower straps. I4 adjacent their upper ends, as byl rivets 40, and extend laterallyv .therefrom with thelil forward and rear ends disposed forwardly and rearwardly of, the lower straps. these extending ends providing pivotal connections 42 and 44 for the cross bar 36, and 46 and 48 for the cross bar 38, with front and rear arcuatey supports 50 and 52 which are in the lform of curved straps conf toured to nt the front and rear portions ofi the lower end of the Stump i2.

The two cross bars, the front;` andrear vsuplports, and the upper and' lower sets of straps constitute a framework within which. is Suspended and received the lower end of' the stump I2 in a manner which does, not contact the lower leg I0 of the artificial limb, as will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2.

This rear supportv 52 is provided with a strip 54 of a suitable cushioning material, such `as sponge rubber. felt, or ther likes it being understood that any suitable material may be employed which is suitablyV attached to the, inner surface of. the support 5 2 tol yieldinely cushion and receive and support the lower end of the 3 stump I2. This rear support 52 ismdisposed in an angular relation of a predetermined extent with respect to the cross bars 36 and 38, as by means of rear braces 56 and 58, these braces being terminally pivoted at their upper ends, as at 6I) and 62, to the support 52, and at their lower ends are secured to a fastening bar or bracket 64, in vertical adjustment upon the same as by means of a series of longitudinally and vertically spaced apertures 66 and a fastening screw 68. Thus, by inserting the screw 68 in the proper aperture 66 and securing the same to the bracket 64, the rear support 52 may be verticaly adjusted in angular relation about its pivot pins 44 and 48 as desired.

Each of the lower straps I4 is further provided with a reinforcement or brace strip indicated at 10, this strip being terminally secured, as at 12 and 114, to the strap I4 and to the lower limb I to form a rigid brace and support for the same.

The front support 58 has a resilient, distortable, and cushioning or an elastic strip 'I6 secured to the interior surface thereof at its ends, as by rivets 18, this strip extending across the front surface of the stump and below the under surface -thereof as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2, in order to support the stump and the weight placed thereon. It will thus be seen that the weight of the stump is distributed between the cushioning material 54 on the rear support 52 and the elastic strip or strap I6 of the front support, whereby the weight is distributed over a greater area and the stump is maintained out of directcontact with the customary and conventional pads carried by and below the knee socket or joint.

At its mid point, the front support 50 has lxedlysecured thereto, as by rivets 80, the upper end of a vertically disposed combined shield, brace and reinforcing strip 82, whose lower end is attached, as by a screw 64, to a fastening bracket 86 mounted upon the lower leg I0, this strip having rigidly aflixed thereto intermediate its ends a cross arm 88 which is terminally connected, as by rivets 90 with the bifurcated ends 92 of a strap 94 adapted to be secured to a belt about the waist of the wearer.

It should be here noted that it is a very important principle of this invention to provide 'an elastic or resilient band 96 of plain rubber or `the like terminally secured to apertures 98 in the member 52 adjacent the rivets 44`for embracing the upper rear portion of the stump. An elastic cover web IUD, terminally secured in apertures |02 ofthe braces 56, 58, is similarly provided to embrace the lower rear portion of the stump. The elastic members 96 and I'Ilil secure the padping 54, prevent the same from slipping down or becoming displaced, and constitute a means for controlling the artificial limb from the motion of the leg knee cap. l

:The transverse axis of the pivot pins I8 which hingedly connect the upper and lower straps are disposed rearwardly of a vertical transverse medial plane extending through the upper and lower limbs, as illustrated in Figure 1, whereby the hinges I8 of the joint will be disposed rearwardly of the vertical axis through the center of gravity of the leg stump I2. This arrangement places the weight of the user forwardly of the' pivots I8, thus greatly contri- 'fbuting to and facilitating the naturalness of the tmovement; o f the artificial limb I0 during walkins and the like.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood, and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but

all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims. y

Having disclosed and described the invention, what isclaimed as new is as follows:

1. An artificial leg below the knee stump socket comprising terminally pivoted upper and lower straps, a corset for embracing a leg shank secured to said upper straps, iront and rear arcuate supports each terminally and pivotally supported by said lower straps, front and rear elastic cushioning straps secured within said supports for resiliently supporting a leg stump, said front strap being distortable to engage and support the front and lower portion of a leg stump.

2. An artificial leg socket comprising termi* nally pivoted upper and lower straps, a corset for embracing a leg shank'secured to said upper straps, front and rear arcuate supports each terminally and pivotally supported by said lower straps, front and rear elastic cushioning straps secured within said supports'for resiliently supporting a leg stump, said front strap being distortable to engage and support the front and lower portion of a leg stump, said lower straps having lateral cross bars rigidly secured thereto with their ends extending forwardly and rearwardly of the knee joint, said front and rear supports being respectively pivoted to and between lthe front and rear ends of said cross bars.

3. The combination of claim 1 including brace means for supportingsaid supports at predetermined angular relation with respect to said lower straps.

4. The combination of claim 2 including brace means for supporting said supports at predetermined angular relation to said cross bars.

5. In an artificial limb, an artificial lower leg. a knee joint comprising a pair of lower straps secured to said lower leg'and pivoted to a pair of upper straps, a corset secured to and between said upper straps for securing said artificial limbto an upper leg stump, a strip of elastic and distortable material for supporting the front and under portion of a leg stump and a further 'strip for supporting the back portion of said stump, means for mounting said strips on said lower straps.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said lastL means includes front and rear arcuate supports carried by and between said lower straps. said strips being each mounted in one of said sup@ ports.

7, The combination of claim 5 wherein said last means includes lateral cross bars rigidly secured each to one of said lower straps andhaving its ends extending forwardly and rearwardly thereof, front and rear arcuate supports respectively terminally pivoted between the front ends and the rear ends of said cioss bars, said strips being each mounted in one of said supports.

8. The combination of claim 7 including braces pivoted to said rear support and adjustably fastened to said lower leg.V 9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said last means include lateral cross barsrigidly secured each to one of said lower straps and having its ends extending forwardly and rearwardly thereof, front and rear arcuate supports respectively terminally pivoted between the front ends and the rear ends of said cross bars, said strips being each mounted in one of said supports, a protective brace attached to the front of said lower leg and to said front support and overlying and shielding the space between said upper and lower straps at their pivot.

10. An artificial leg below the knee socket comprising terminally pivoted upper and lower straps, a corset for embracing a leg shank secured to said upper straps, front and rear arcuate supports each terminally and pivotally supported by said lower straps, front and rear elastic cushioning straps secured Within said supports for resilently supporting a leg stump, said front strap being distortable to engage and support the front and lower portion of a leg stump, said upper and lower straps being pivoted upon an axis transverse the 6 artical stump socket, said axis being located rearward of a vertical transverse medial plane through the knee joint when the latter is in its erect position.

11. The combination of claim 5 wherein said last means includes lateral cross bars rigidly secured each to one of said lower straps and having its ends extending forwardly and rearwardly thereof, front and rear arcuate supports respectively terminally pivoted between the front ends and the rear ends of said cross bars, said strips being each mounted in one of said supports, said upper and lower straps being pivoted upon an axis transverse the artificial stump socket, said axis being located rearward of a vertical transverse medial plane through the knee joint when the latter is in its erect position.

STANLEY MAYACK.

No references cited. 

